Perfect GoodBye
by Redd Butterfly
Summary: Another Kings-Cross-at-the-end-of-4th-year fic. R/H. Please Read&Review.


**Perfect Good-Bye**

By Redd Butterfly 

Disclaimer: HP characters and anything associated with HP belong to JK Rowling.

How do you say good-bye to someone who's been through what Harry's been through? Somehow, no words seem to be enough. What about a hug? No, that doesn't seem to be enough either.

So with no other choice, Hermione did something she'd never done before—she kissed Harry on the cheek. It was soft and quick, enough to tell him that she cared and for him to stay strong and be careful. But it was most definitely nothing romantic. Nevertheless, she didn't miss the hurt look Ron's face had acquired after she kissed him.

But she was not going to feel sorry for him—not after what he put her through with the whole Victor thing. Instead, she felt irritated. There he goes again, jumping to conclusions. The annoyance she felt towards the red-head did not last long, though.

Ron just took a step forward—one step closer to Hermione. That one small step was enough to jostle every thought and anger from her head. Now she's nervous. 

She just stood there and watched as he came closer, his arms making their way around her waist. 

Realizing how stupid she must look just standing there, she finally commanded her arms to make their way around his neck. Only when she did so did she realize that Ron was standing stiff. But as soon as she was hugging him, Hermione felt him relax into the hug. He dropped his head lower, letting his temple touch hers.

It was a remarkable feeling. 

Suddenly, it felt like the rest of the world just disappeared. They didn't notice the sniggering of the twins, the knowing smile on Ginny's and Mrs. Weasley's faces, the proud look on Mr. Weasley's face, the look of shock on Harry's face as he turned back for a last wave, or the cheering, staring, or "about times" of various Hogwarts students passing them by.

But Hermione did the notice how comfortable she felt in his arms. She never felt so safe, so loved, so secure. It was too perfect.

After several seconds, Hermione snaps back to reality and decided that it's time to pull out. 

Slowly, she did pull away. But she stopped halfway, her hands resting on his chest, when she realized that Ron wasn't letting go and his head was still bowed.

"Ron?" He still didn't let go. He held onto her, keeping her from moving any farther.

"Don't go to Bulgaria," he said in a small voice, head still down. 

The irritation she felt earlier came back. How dare he tell her what to do? Who does he think he is—her parents?! She was about to push her way out of his grasp when—

"Please." With that, he raised his head so his eyes can meet hers. He said it so sadly and so gently that Hermione's thoughts of how stupid and annoying her best friend was left her mind. But no matter how sad and gentle his words were, it was nothing compared to his stare.

With his eyes, he pleaded…no, begged her to not go. "Please," he said again. 

Now it was her turn to look down—his gaze was too intense, too serious.

Gathering all her courage, she looked up at him again, cheeks tinged with pink, and gave him a small smile to try and lighten the mood. "Ron, I—"

"I'm sorry. I…I shouldn't have said that." Ron was beginning to get nervous and his ears were turning red. "I…I think I have to…to go…now." Slowly, he began to loosen his hold around Hermione, much to her disappointment. Before he had a chance to turn around, Hermione grabbed his forearm.

"Ron." Her smile grew, again, in an attempt to lighten the mood. "I'm not going to Bulgaria."

Ron looked at her in surprise. 

"You're not?" Hermione gave a little sigh.

"No. I told Victor that it wasn't right. It wouldn't be fair. Not to him, anyway."

Whatever the explanation was, Ron didn't seem to care. He just smiled and closed the distance between him and Hermione with a hug that was just a little tighter than the first.

After a few seconds, they pulled apart, and Ron asked something he'd been meaning to since they boarded the Hogwarts Express, "So I guess I'll see you at The Burrow, then?"

Still smiling, she asked, "Is that an invite?"

"Yeah," he said with a shrug.

"Hermione!" 

Ron and Hermione turned to see her parents walking towards them, looking very excited to be seeing their little girl. After waving to them, Hermione again faces Ron, lifts herself up onto her toes, and kisses him on the cheek.

"Then I guess you will."

Feeling content about giving a proper good-bye to her best friend, she turns to leave but stops abruptly when she sees the Weasleys.

"Oh! Um…were you…were you there…long," she asked them cautiously, her face turning slightly pink. 

 "Only since Harry was still here," said one of the twins with a grin so wide, his eyes looked almost shut.

"And through the rest of the events after," said the other, with the exact same expression on his face. 

Gryffindor-smiffindor! There is absolutely no way she is facing Ron after she found out about their audience. She suddenly wanted to get away—be anywhere but there.

Still slightly red, Hermione turns around and notices her parents were closer by now.

"Um…my parents are here, I…uh…have to go," she said unsurely to the Weasleys. Then she turns to Ron.  

"I'll see you all later in the summer," she said quietly, still not looking at him. After being assured by a slow nod and soft "Mm-hmm" from him, she turns and heads for her parents, while blessing them over and over again in her head for coming at such a perfect time.

The End

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